A Closer Look at Top-Notch Quarterback Judd Anderson
From the quarterbacks offered by newly hired offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson, one of the most intriguing would be Judd Anderson. Here’s a look at his overall game.
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 220 pounds
High School: Gray (Ga.) Jones County
Recruitment: Anderson has been extended the chance to play college football by Miami, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Pitt, Eastern Michigan, Penn, and Toledo, among others.
As for upcoming visits, Anderson offered the following information.
“UNC this weekend and then Miami on April 6.”
Keep in mind, more visits, and more offers, will likely be forthcoming. Playing in east-central Georgia, Anderson has not seen the same amount of attention some of the other quarterbacks down South have. It’s typical for college scouts to hit the major metropolitan areas much harder.
Based on watching his film, make no mistake, Anderson would probably have more scholarships if he played at a program in Gwinnett County on the edge of Atlanta. That stated, there’s much to cover with his game so let’s get to it.
Arm Strength: He can place the ball on the hands of a streaking slot receiver – down the seam – between the linebacker and safety. That’s one of the hardest throws in the game of football. It’s also one of the plays that arm strength truly mattered throughout the history of football.
Anderson showcased that ability.
Passes towards the sidelines were displayed consistently. That’s another mark of this young man’s abilities. Overall, it’s best to consider Anderson as possessing a plus-arm. It’s not John Elway or Josh Allen, but Anderson’s arm has plenty of zip and will be comfortably able to play quarterback at the Power 5 level.
Deep Ball: That’s one of the biggest strengths from watching Anderson’s film. He was not afraid to provide his receivers a chance to win 50-50 balls, as well as throwing his teammates open.
He would throw the football to a designated area and allow his receivers to run towards that pass while also keeping it away from defenders. Anderson showed his football IQ with that type of throw several times.
Throwing Motion: Classic. It’s the over-the-top style of passing that’s often seen at the college and NFL level. For somewhat of a comparison, San Diego Charger Justin Herbert would be in the same ballpark, with Anderson’s motion being just a little bit more of a higher release point.
Feet: First off, Anderson has also been a talented basketball player. That's a good sign for his football future. With that in mind, this category was arguably still the most surprising.
Usually taller quarterbacks need quite a bit of improvement to their footwork after reaching the college level. Anderson has been coached well to date. This following photograph showed Anderson working at 6 Points in Jacksonville, Fla.. It's one of the best quarterback training facilities in America and this follow-through has their stamp all over it.
Judd Anderson working out at 6 Points Jacksonville.
Judd Anderson
He does not over-extend when throwing the deep ball, i.e. lunge forward when letting it rip. Instead, Anderson powers through his lower body to generate more velocity.
When the right-handed signal caller threw to his left, he showed the propensity to move towards his target before letting the football go as well. Not turning towards the intended target prior to going into the throwing motion, that’s a common error of younger quarterbacks and Anderson has already begun to show he's learned to avoid that.
He can still clean up his throwing motion to be faster, more compact, in time, but he’s further ahead of the majority of high school quarterback recruits.
Running Ability: This was the extension of Anderson passing the football. Sometimes he had no open target and did not hesitate to hit the crease and get what he could. Anderson’s ability to move the chains was needed to help his Jones County squad quite a few times and delivered.
This point also made it clear that Anderson can run bootlegs, waggles, and various other passing and running plays to the perimeter and be successful. He’s not a burner, but an athlete that makes plays. He’s been a bottom line quarterback to get the job done.
Upside: This young man has been the primary quarterback for Jones County for just one season. That’s probably another reason he’s not been offered by more schools. As Anderson throws during spring ball, as well as during camps and combines, his offer list will continue to grow.
Hard to blame colleges for doing their due-dilligence with quarterback recruiting; it’s the most important position on the gridiron. Still, Anderson's film did not lie.
Long-Term: Once Anderson fills out his frame and becomes an even more powerful thrower, coupled with continued technical development like any other young signal caller, his high upside cannot be denied.
Could he be a quarterback that throws the ball all over the field in Miami’s new air raid offensive style of offense? Absolutely. The talent and football IQ have already been evident.
Anderson’s upcoming visit to The U will be an important one as Miami’s 2024 quarterback board continues to play out.
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